Anyone who has worked extensively in technical fields is bound to have encountered the Brainiac Paradox – the tendency for those gifted technically to be less gifted interpersonally….In this presentation, Mark Cornillie, author of The Brainaic Paradox, will delve into this provocative topic, defining the brainiac paradox, providing a historical and social context, and sharing his research into its possible root causes. He will also review his surprising recommendations for how best it should be addressed.

Click here to access the program meeting Eventbrite page for more information, including a map, and to sign up for the program.

RSVP by noon on Thursday, 3/6 to membership@stc-sm.org. Please RSVP in advance if you'll be attending. That way we can make sure to have enough seating available, and we can notify you if something changes due to inclement weather, etc. At these events, attendees are responsible for purchasing their own food/beverages, but the camaraderie and conversation are free!

RSVP by noon on Tuesday,3/18 to membership@stc-sm.org. Please RSVP in advance if you'll be attending. That way we can make sure to have enough seating available, and we can notify you if something changes due to inclement weather, etc. At these events, attendees are responsible for purchasing their own food/beverages, but the camaraderie and conversation are free!

RSVP by noon on Wednesday, 4/16 to membership@stc-sm.org. Please RSVP in advance if you'll be attending. That way we can make sure to have enough seating available, and we can notify you if something changes due to inclement weather, etc. At these events, attendees are responsible for purchasing their own food/beverages, but the camaraderie and conversation are free!

The grant writing process can be overwhelming, especially for beginners. In this program, grant writers and administrators provide an overview of the grant writing process and share tips they’ve learned along the way. We’ll begin with brief presentations from each speaker, and then we’ll provide time for the panel to answer your questions.

RSVP by noon on Monday, 4/28 to membership@stc-sm.org. Please RSVP in advance if you'll be attending. That way we can make sure to have enough seating available, and we can notify you if something changes due to inclement weather, etc. At these events, attendees are responsible for purchasing their own food/beverages, but the camaraderie and conversation are free!

6:30 p.m.Paesano's Restaurant, Ann Arbor
3411 Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 971-0484This first event of the year we will be welcoming and introducing the new board and volunteers and also discussing STC-SM plans for the upcoming year. All members, students and others are welcome. More details to follow.

In this session, Matt Kurtin will draw on a mixture of practical mLearning development experience and widely accepted computer science principles to uncover the pros and cons of various mLearning authoring tools, templates, models, and patterns.
Participants will learn about authoring tool selection concepts that are relevant for all e-learning and mLearning programmers. Once an authoring tool is chosen, productivity can be enhanced by understanding reusable functions, separating content and functionality, and debugging functionality. By playing an exciting card game, participants will see real-world examples from actual mLearning courses and tools, including how templates, models, and patterns can enhance the authoring tool chosen.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
•Identify strengths and weaknesses of tools, templates, models, and patterns.
•Identify the pros and cons of various authoring tools.
•Communicate tips for improving mLearning programming efficiency using authoring tool composition.
•Communicate tips for efficient mLearning programming in a variety of authoring tools.

Due to the weather advisories posted for Ingham County tomorrow, we have decided to move this event to the Spring. Please check this page after Thanksgiving for the new date.

Presenters: Matt Pierce and Erika Smith

Leverage the power of image and video in your communication. In this session, Matt and Erika will introduce several ways images and videos can be used to improve internal communication, documentation, feedback, and more. Once they’ve got you thinking about how you can incorporate visuals into your own work, they’ll show you how Snagit and Camtasia can be used to quickly and easily create what you need.

Matt Pierce works for TechSmith Corp., a software company that provides practical business and academic solutions that change how people communicate and collaborate across devices. For seven years, he directly managed the training and user assistance teams for TechSmith, and has experience leading the social media, video and technical support teams. Matt has also run TechSmith’s visual communication web show, The Forge, interviewing guests from around the world discussing the use of visuals, video, and technology in education, training, marketing and more.

Matt is a regular contributor to several online publications, and has published articles in various training publications in the U.S. and U.K. He has spoken multiple times at national and international conferences including ASTD TechKnowledge, the Society for Technical Communication Summit, Technical Communication UK, and Online Educa Berlin. A graduate of Indiana University’s School of Education’s Department of Instructional Systems Technology, Matt has 10 years of experience working in learning and development with a focus on visual instruction.

Erika Smith is an Instructional Designer at TechSmith with over 11 years of experience as an instructor, instructional designer, and instructional developer. She has worked in a variety of industries, including Staffing and Recruitment, Utility, Software, and Technology. Erika has also designed, developed, and implemented instructor-led training, asynchronous and synchronous eLearning, and blended courses.

Erik has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Michigan State University, and a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology with a specialization in online course development from Walden University.